The present application is related to a patient support apparatus, and more particularly to a patient support apparatus that includes a control system configured to control various components included in the patient support apparatus. More particularly, the patient support apparatus includes a sensor configured to provide data related to a patient resting on the patient support apparatus to the control system to cause the control system to perform a predetermined action in response to receiving the data.
Patients in a care facility such as a hospital, for example, require varying degrees of interaction with caregivers. Some patients may have full mobility while other patients may have reduced mobility. Certain protocols may be established for those patients identified as having limited mobility or a risk of falling. Such protocols may reduce the opportunity for patients to move about the patient room unassisted. One such protocol may require a caregiver to provide assistance to patients as patients move to and from the toilet to perform a toileting activity (urinate or defecate). Caregivers provide help to patients to minimize a risk of falling as the patient moves to and from the toilet as well as provide help should a fall occur.
The need for patients to use the toilet frequently causes caregivers to spend significant amounts of time dealing with the toileting activities of patients. In one example, a caregiver must move from one patient room to a remote patient room in response to a nurse call initiated by a patient who desires to use the toilet. Caregivers may prioritize support of planned toileting activities because of the potential risk of fall, increased risk of an incontinence event, increase risks to skin health due to incontinence events, and the significant amount of time required to respond to and deal with incontinence events.